Lovecraftiana: The Magazine of Eldritch Horror (2021-22) by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rogue Planet Press
Published: 2023-04-01T22:00:00+00:00

“Sounds like Sinbad’s in trouble. And that was my mistress screaming we just heard, I’m sure of it!”

Jabir put his hand on Kamborani’s arm. “Let’s not be hasty.” He listened to the sound of fighting from over the wall. “We don’t know what we’re getting ourselves into here. I said we should have stayed at the lodgings house like Sinbad told us.”

“We should have brought my men into the city,” Al-Wathiq told him. “Even if I had been obliged to attend one of the governor’s banquets…”

‘That doesn’t matter now,” Kamborani said impatiently. “Whether or not the ghoul in the desert told Abdul Alhazred we were here, he knows of our presence now. And my mistress needs help.”

She shinned up the wall. From the other side floated shouts, and the clang of blade on blade. Kamborani reached the top and sat there watching the garden below. Sinbad and the other man were fighting several Chinese.

Al-Wathiq joined her. His eyes narrowed; he pointed at the far arch. “There!” he hissed. “In the shadows. The sorcerer!”

It was indeed Abdul Alhazred, accompanied by two ghouls and the struggling figure of Kamborani’s mistress. “We need to get past those Chinese,” said Kamborani. She watched as Sinbad’s big, handsome companion hacked at one of his attackers with his sword, but to no effect.

“They seem to be invulnerable,” said Al-Wathiq. “I’ve heard tell of the strange and sinister arts of the East…”

“We need to get past them,” Kamborani repeated. “Sinbad and that man are keeping their attention, but if we go down into that courtyard to rescue my mistress, we’ll be attacked too.”

Panting, Jabir hauled himself up to join them. He gripped his satchel gingerly.

“Old man,” Kamborani said. “Do you have any of those firebombs left?”

He nodded. “Only two,” he wheezed. “I’ve been keeping them back for the right moment.”

“Then this is it!” Al-Wathiq cried. “Throw one at that group of Chinamen. We’ll see if they keep fighting when they’re on fire!”

Jabir fumbled at his satchel. Impatiently, Kamborani snatched it, spilling the two clay jars, which fell straight down into the garden below. To everyone’s relief, they landed safely in a soft pile of compost behind an herbaceous border.

“Clumsy slave!” Al-Wathiq cuffed her. “Go and get them!”

She snarled at him in frustration, but dropped straight down into the compost heap. Snatching one clay pot she peered through the flowers and saw the Chinese pursuing a deftly sprinting Sinbad over the nearest water channel.

“Fling it, desire of my heart, fling it!”

She looked up to see Jabir peering down at her. At that moment Sinbad leapt at the wall, unwittingly jumping over Kamborani as he did so. While Al-Wathiq and Jabir helped Sinbad up Kamborani rose and threw the clay pot underarm. It bounced in front of the running Chinese without breaking. She frowned, and scrabbled around for the other.

But then one of the Chinamen stepped on the firebomb and flames erupted all over him and his companions. Dusting off her hands, Kamborani rose, clutching the second firebomb, and stared wide eyed in in horror through the flowers.

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